Potato Gnocchi With Gorgonzola Cream Sauce

This is my basic potato gnocchi recipe. I was given the tip years ago from a wonderful Italian cook to bake rather than boil the potatoes. This gives more flavor to the gnocchi, and keeps the moisture level low allowing you to use less flour.

When you use less flour, you end up with a lighter gnocchi. As with all gnocchi recipes, the trick is to not overwork the dough, and to use only as much flour as is needed to create a soft, smooth dough. By using the yolk of the egg alone, I was told by an owner of a trattoria in italy, the dough stays more tender than it would with the whole egg. This delicious sauce is very rich but well worth the effort. Choose a soft, not too sharp Gorgonzola cheese for this recipe.

Buon Appetito!
Deborah Mele 2011

Potato Gnocchi With Gorgonzola Cream Sauce

Yield: Serves 4 - 6

Prep Time: 30 minutes

Cook Time: 1 hour

Total Time: 1 hour30 minutes

This delicious sauce is very rich but well worth the effort. Choose a soft, not too sharp Gorgonzola cheese for this recipe.

Ingredients

4 Medium Sized Potatoes (about 2 pounds)

1 Large Egg Yolk

1- 1 1/2 Cups Of Flour

Salt

Gorgonzola Sauce:

4 oz. Gorgonzola Cheese (Room Temperature)

1 oz. Butter

8 oz. Heavy Cream

Garnish:

Fresh Chopped Parsley

Grated Parmesan

Cracked Black Pepper

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.

Wash & dry the potatoes, then bake the potatoes until they are fork tender, about 45 minutes.

While the potatoes are baking prepare the sauce by cooking the cheese, butter and cream over low heat until the cheese has completely melted into the cream and the sauce has slightly thickened, then set aside.

When the potatoes are cool enough to handle, peel and put through a potato ricer.

While still warm, place the prepared potatoes on a large board forming a mound with a hole in the center, then add the yolk and the salt into the center.

Slowly start adding the flour a little at a time, mixing well with your hands and continue until you have created a soft workable dough.

Knead gently only briefly until you have achieved a smooth, pliable if slightly sticky dough.

To shape the gnocchi, first break the dough into fist sized pieces, and roll each piece into a log about the thickness of your thumb.

Cut into 1 inch pieces with a sharp knife.

To finish, take a fork and place it against your work board, and with it's back towards you, press each piece of dough with your index finger firmly up the length of the fork tines.

Let the gnocchi fall back onto the board and continue with the remaining pieces in this manner.

Place the prepared gnocchi on a lightly floured baking sheet and either cook immediately, or keep refrigerated until ready to use, preferably not more than 3 hours.

To cook, drop carefully into salted boiling water and remove immediately as they have all floated to the surface.

Drain and top with the gorgonzola sauce.

Serve sprinkled with the fresh, chopped parsley, and offer grated Parmesan cheese and cracked black pepper at the table.